The Portland daily press., 1887-01-24
the THIRD PARTY.
Lecture by Rev. a. r. Abbott in Re-
ceptIon Hall.

The lecture delivered by Rev. A. f. Alb
bolt in Reception Hall, Saturday evening,
was attended by about forty persons. Mr.
Abbott's lecture proved to be an argument
in favor of the success of the National Pro-
hibition party. The lecturer is the secretary
of the National Temperance Bureau. He
delivered his lecture clearly and received
considerable applause.
The meeting was called to order by Mr.
Geo. l.. Kimball, who called upon General
Neal Dow to act as chairman. Prayer was
offered by Rev. Dr. Bashford, after which
the speaker of the evening was introduced
by Gen. Dow.
Mr.. Abbott said that progress always
encountes two obstacles, the slowness of APP
prehension of what is for their good existing
among men and the opposition which arises
to the introduction of every reform. Today
the civilized world is struggling with the
liquor question. The evil is recognized but
there is great ignorance as to what should
be done about it.
The Prohibition movement antagonizes i'm
mense interests, extending from the saloon
with its political influence through every
grade Of society. Many public officers owe
their positions to the traffic and it occupies
buildings owned by all classes of people.
How then, said Mr. Abbott, is prohibition
to be accomplished? The object of the
movement is the protection Of the people,
we are seeking to protect those who cannot
resist their appetites, to aid the drunkard
and the drunkard's children. haven't any
| confidence in suppressing this traffic in the
| way any State in the Union has gone at it,
don't believe it can be stopped in any State
while the manufacture goes on in any other
| part of the country. What can be gotten
manufactured in any other State, its sale
| cannot be stopped in Maine, but YOU have
| demonstrated the fact that the breweries
and distilleries can be suppressed.
The lecturer then said that National par
ty Is necessary to secure National Prohibi-
| ton and followed the same line of argument
| as that taken by Mr.. st. John in his speeches
| last summer, to prove that the new party
| would trst absorb the Republican party and
| then defeat the Democrats, in six years oc-
cupying all the offices in the land from the
Presidency down.
Mr.. Abbott said: down South the Demo-
Gratis say we are helped by the Republicans,
here the Republicans say our bills are mid
by the Democrats. | have been lecturing
Tor some time and if the Democrats are will.
ing TO pay our bills, have yet to find it out.
And II Democrat should offer me money to
carry on the good work, lam going to take
~ 4. AaoS 10 eHC uloI ScutTOuS L0lQg ne
ever did. can't afford to put stop to such
budding generosity.
comparison was made between Maine
ana New York in regard to liquor selling
MI Abbott alleged that there Was t,s .,rse
state OF things, ia Lewistofa-ttfhan in New
4, orR cites Under low license He said that
sleteS%ere $50 rum shops in Lewiston, while
400 90 90
The speaker referred to past temperance
legislation and said that reforms never arise
In old parties. He claimed that there is now
no issue between the Democratic and Re
publican parties, and said that the new
party offered inducements to young men who
could not afford to enter any other party,
Neither Of the old parties cares to take up
this question of prohibition.
At the close of the lecture, DR.. Bashford.
before calling for the customary contribu-
ton, said that Mr. Blaine in a conversation
with MN last summer, in reply to a request
That the Republican party adopt prohibition
~ It's national platform, said in substance:
THAT is impossible. You have no idea of
the opposition to prohibition on the part of
many good men in the Republican party If
the party adopted prohibition in the national
platform OF 1888, that action would insure its
defeat, so it is unreasonable for you, if you
are friend to the party, to ask US to adopt
measure ON which we would have no hope
OF carrying the country
Mr.. Abbott then explained that he was on
mission to raise funds, and explained the
dlfierent ways in which people may subscribe
to the National Temperance Bureau
Inc meeting then adjourned.